Moistening device for printing-machines.



PATENTED JAN. 15, 1907. H. GRAMLIGH.

MOISTENING DEVICE FOR PRINTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAYS, 1904. RENEWED MAR. 28, 1906.

UNITED s rarns PATENT orrion.

HENRY GRAMLIGH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF, AND MARGARETGILLIN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

MOISTE NING DEVICE FOR PRINTING-MACHINES- Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Jan. 15, 1907.

. Application filed May 3, 1904. Renewed March 28, 1906- Serial No.308,414.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY GRAMLIQH, a

citizen of the United States, residing in the city of New York, boroughof Brooklyn, in

the county of Kings and State of New York,

ing-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to means for supplying moisture to theprinting-surfaces in lithographic and analogous printing operations; andthe object of the invention is to provide means for moistening suchsurfaces by spraying the water thereon, thus avoiding the injury to thework due to the direct contact of water-rollers and like devices withthe printing-surfaces, and for insuring uniform distribution of themoisture upon such surfaces.

The invention consists in certain novel features and details ofconstruction by which the above objects are attained, to be hereinafterdescribed.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification and show apreferred means of carrying out the invention.

Figure 1 is a side View of a lithographic press equipped with theinvention, certain portions of the printing mechanism being omitted.Fig. 2 is an end view of the spraying device and a portion of themachine, partly in vertical section. Fig. 3 is a corresponding faceview, partly in transverse vertical section. 1

Similar letters of reference indicate the x same parts in all thefigures.

A is the frame of a lithographic press of an ordinary or approved type,B is the cylin er, C the reciprocating bed, D a stone mounted thereon,and E the inking-rollers, all incompletely shown, but sufficiently forthe purposes of this descripton, and all, with .reproduction it isnecessary to moisten the printing-surface after each impression prior toreinking. This operation is usually performed by a system ofwater-rollers similar in action to an inking device, in which the stonetravels beneath a roller in contact with the printing-surface and issupplied with water. In practice the roller takes up more or less of theink or color and again transfers it to the stone, the result beingimperfect work, notwithstanding all the precautions taken to insureagainst such offsetting.

My invention is intended to obviate this difficulty by avoiding thedirect contact of rollers and analogous devices with theprinting-surface and supplying the water in the form of fine spraydirecteoupon the surface by an air-blast.

F F are standards mounted on the frame, one on each side in rear of theimpressioncylinder, supporting between them above the pathof the stone atrou h or shallow reservoir G, to which water 1s supplied through a pipeG, controlled by a cock G and H H are rollers mounted in the standardsparallel wlth each other and one above. the other.

The lowermost roller H is partly submerged in the trough and on theoverhung end of its shaft is equipped with a spur gear-wheel H meshingwith a spur gear-wheel H having a bevel gear-wheel H on its outer face,in which meshes a bevel gear-wheel J on an inclined shaft J, which maybe that commonly employed to impart motion to the usual waterrolls.

H is an endless belt or apron, of wire-gauze, running on both rollersand moved in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2 at a uniformspeed through the water in the trough to fill its interstices and carryup the water thus held by capillary attraction on the side next thecylinder B.

M is a pipe extending parallel with and between the rollers inclosed bythe belt and provided with a series of small perforations m, directedforward and downward against the inner face of the water-filled portionof the belt. Air under pressure is supplied to the pipe M through abranch M from an air compressor or reservoir (not shown) and in escapingthrough the perforations m drives the water at an angle upon theprinting-sur face beneath in finely-comminuted particles or spray.

The spray may be blown continuously but I prefer to intermit the flow byan automatically-operated cock MF in the branch M, arranged to deliverthe spray after each impression'and during the travel of the stonetoward the inking-rollers.- The cock has an arm or pin C strikes therear face of the'dog and moves the lever to shut off the air-supply andlever M extending downward into the path of two pins C C on thereciprocating bed C and terminates in a hinged dog M arranged to turnfreely in one direction against the force of a light spring M and toform a practically rigid extension of the lever in the oppositedirection. The pins-are set at different levels, the pin C being higherthan the pin C and are adjustably separated longitudinally of the bed,as determined by the length of the stone. As the latter passes beneaththe cylinder to make an impression the pin C passes idly below the dogor, if it contact therewith, merely deflects it sufficiently to permitthe passage, and the cock M re.- mains closed until the extreme of thereciprocation in that direct-ion is reached, at which time the pin 0 hasstruck the lever above the dog and throumfit -to the position shown in.Fig. 2 and admits air to the ipe M. condition is maintained and t estone spray d during its return movement until the lowe then'escapesbeneath the dog, thus moistening't-he printing-surfaces during thetravel of the stone toward the inking-rollers. The duration of the spraymay be varied to suit va-' rious sizes of stones by placing the pinsinsuitably-spaced holes or otherwise adjustably separatingthemlongitudinally of the bed, and any preferred means may be employedto control the supply of water to the reservoir or trough or to maintainthe waterlevel therein.

Although I have described the invention as applied to a lithographicpress, it will be understoodthat it may be applied to printing-machinesusing metal plates orother printingsurfaces either flat or mounted on acylinder.

Other means for "imparting motion to the belt may be employed, and othermeans for inducin the spray may be substituted, the essentia feature ofthe invention being the application of moisture to the rinting-surfacein the form of spray instea of by direct contact of moistened pads'orrollers.

I prefer the apparatus shown for the reason that the quantity of'waterheld in the meshes of the gauze is practically uniform, and the deliverymay be governed very exactly by the speed of the belt, travel and the Ivolume and pressure of the air.

It will be also understood that the apparatus described will servesuccessfully in other situations in which a spray is'desired. Otheropen-work materialas loosely-woven fabric, cheesecloth, or lacemaybe'substituted for the wire-gauze. r

' ,Iclaim "1. In a printing-machine of the character set forth, anatomizing device embodying a fixed sprayer and a movablemoisture-absorbing medium interposed between the izing device toautomatically control the duration of the spraying operation.

3. In a printing-machine of the character set forth, means for supplyingair under pres sure, and an endless moisture conveying means interposedbetween the same and the surface to be moistened, whereby the compressedair forces said moisture inthe form of spray upon said surface.

4. The spraying device described, consist-' ing of a water-reservoir, amovably-mounted sheet of open-work material arranged to traverse saidreservoir and carry water there-' from in its interstices, andarelatively fixed air-blast arranged to drive the water from suchinterstices said movably mounted sheet being interposed between saidair-blast and the surface to'be moistened.

5. The spraying device described consisting of a reservoir, a pair ofrollers one of which is .in said reservoir, a belt of open-Work materialas wire-gauze running on said rollers, means for moving said belt, andan air-.

pipe having a series of openings arranged to direct an: air-blastthrough said belt.

6. The spraying device described, consisting of a water-reservoir, apair of rollers one of which is insaid reservoir, a belt of open- Workmaterial as wire-gauze running on said rollers, means for moving saidbelt, an airpipe havinga series of openings arranged to direct a currentof air .upon said belt, and means for 'fautornatically admitting andstopping a supply of airunder pressure to said p The spraying devicedescribed ,consisting of a reservoir, apair of rollers one of which is.in said reservoir, a belt of open-work material as wire-gauze running.on said rollers, means for revolving one of said-rollers and moving saidbelt, an air-pipe inclosed within said belt between said rollers, andhaving a series of openings arranged to direct a current of airv throughthe interstices of said belt, and means'for automatically admitting .andstopping a supply of air under pressure to said pipe. \y

8. In a printing-machine, areciprocating bed adapted to carry aprinting-surface, a

spraying device located above such surface within the same and adaptedto directa spray upon such surface, and means automatically operated bythe movement of said bed for controlling said spraying device.

9. The spraying device described, consisting of a water-reservoir, apair of rollers, one of which is in said reservoir, a belt of open- Workmaterial as Wire-gauze running on said rollers, means for moving saidbelt, an airpipe inclosed in said belt between said rollers and having aseries of openings arranged to direct a current of air against the innerface of said belt, and a cock controlling the admission of air to saidipe, in combination With the reciprocating ed of a printing-machine, andWith means carried by said bed for automatically operating said cock.

In testimony that I claim the invention above set forth I afiix mysignature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY GRAMLICH. Witnesses:

G. V. BATES, CHARLES R. SEARLE.

